Prairie County is divided in half by the
Yellowstone River flowing from east to west
through the county. The Powder River flows
from the southeast to join the Yellowstone in
the southwest corner. The landscape of Prairie
County is mainly the rolling prairie
characteristic of most eastern Montana
counties. However, the northwestern section of
the county is broken by the Big Sheep Mountains
that occupy that area.

Crops - 2002

Acres
Planted

Acres
Harvested

Yield

Unit

Production

Rank

Winter Wheat
Durum Wheat
Other Spring Wheat

10,300
*
21,000

8,600
*
7,500

23
*
27

Bu.
Bu.
Bu.

202,000
*
200,000

16
*
31

Barley

4,900

1,900

26

Bu.

49,000

44

Oats

*

*

*

Bu.

*

*

Corn
For Grain
For Silage

2,800
----
----

----
600
2,100

----
118
19

----
Bu.
Tons

----
71,000
39,000

----
8
9

Potatoes

*

*

*

Cwt.

*

*

Sugar Beets

2,360

2,330

19.1

Tons

44,600

9

Dry Beans 1/

2,600

2,300

1,910

Cwt.

43,900

3

All Hay
Alfalfa
All Other

----
----
----

19,500
7,500
12,000

1.52
2.3
1.1

Tons
Tons
Tons

29,600
16,900
12,700

51
44
45

1/ Yield is in pounds, production is in hundredweight. *Either zero or insufficient data for publication.

Livestock

Reference Date

Number of Head

Rank

All Cattle & Calves
Beef Cows & Heifers 2/
Milk Cows & Heifers 2/

January 1, 2003

35,000
19,500
*

31
34
*

All Sheep & Lambs

January 1, 2003

3,200

31

Hogs & Pigs

December 1, 2002

*

*

2/ That have calved. * Insufficient data for publication

Census of Agriculture - 2002

-

Number of Farms
Land in Farms (Acres)
Average Farm Size (Acres)
Total Land Area (Acres)